FrenchsoldierswhowenttohelptheAmericansduringtheAmericanRevolutionoftenfoundthattheirhostshadstrangeideasaboutthem.Oneday,theChevalierdePontgibaudenteredthehouseofafarmeruponwhomhewasbilleted.Thefarmersaid,"I'mverygladtohaveaFrenchmaninthehouse.Youseethebarberlivesalongwayoffsoyou'llbeabletoshaveme.""ButIcan'tevenshavemyself,"dePontgibaudreplied."That'sveryodd,"saidthefarmer."IwastoldthatallFrenchmenwerebarbers."
Soonafterwardsthefarmerservedhimsomebeef,andsaid,"You'reluckytobeabletocomeovertoAmericaandgetgoodbeeftoeat."WhentheFrenchmanassuredhimthattheyhadbeefinFranceandexcellentbeeftoo,theAmericanresponded,"That'simpossible,oryouwouldn'tbesothin."
美國獨立戰爭期間,有法國軍人去助美國一臂,發覺不少美國人對他們有奇怪觀念。有一天,德蓬吉博爵士走進他獲編排投宿的農家,那農人說:「我真高興家裏來了個法國人。這裏離理髮師很遠,你可以給我修面。」德蓬吉博說:「但我連替自己修面都不懂得。」那農夫說:「那可奇怪,聽說所有法國人都懂得理髮修面。」
不久,那農夫端些牛肉給德蓬吉博吃,並說:「你來到美國,真是幸運,可以吃到好牛肉。」德蓬吉博告訴他法國也有牛肉,而且是極好的牛肉。那農夫說:「那是不可能的,看你瘦成這個樣子。」